Examining the relationship between God and Love
- Love of God – God’s desiring for us to be fulfilled in Him and for His glory to be pronounced loudly.
- 1 John 4:8 – God is love. This phrase is not reversible.
- One of the really amazing parts of love to me is how it is so intricately connected to His other attributes i.e. grace, mercy, kindness, justice.
- Understanding what love is and how God is love helps better know how to act and behave. As well as provides us with the security of knowing that God acts out of towards us.
Focus on 1 John 4:7-21: Love is a tremendous gift from God. Only in God does love truly exist.
The Ahavah Initiative
Something incredibly radical takes place here in verses 10&11. This is so radical because it changes the way we might understand love. Love is not a kind of human outpouring of affection to God. But love first comes from God to us, then we might pass true love to others. Because, and only because of the Lord’s love to us are we capable of loving others and Him.
One of the most frustrating parts of love is that it is best defined by listing its attributes. And we see these listed in 1 Corinthians 13. (Read) It is much like identifying a painting in a museum. It is recognized by its attributes, i.e. a frame, brush strokes, etc. Love is similar in that we can see something and go “Ah, that is love.” How do we know? Because it fits what the Lord says about love here, here, and here. This love that God possesses is shown to us most perfectly through the atonement of our sins, paid by the blood of Christ on the Cross.
Q.) How do we know if we have acted in a way of love towards other people?
Q.) How do we know God’s love for us?
Brotherhood of Christian Aggies 